ALLISON WATKINS: Time to take a bite out of pesky fire ants

SAN ANGELO, Texas - The weather has been up and down this spring, but it's warming up and the fire ants are starting to get out and about. Now is a good time to apply fire ant control products to help keep populations under control and prevent painful stings.

There are many types of ants in West Texas, and the red imported fire ant most warrants control efforts. Other types are not as aggressive and do not cause as many problems, so try to identify before spending the time and money for treatment. The red imported fire ant is not native to the area, so the lack of natural predators has allowed it to proliferate throughout Texas.

Red imported fire ants create mounds of light, fluffy soil (especially after a rain) that do not have entrance holes on top. Most other ants use a large central opening, while fire ants tend to use underground tunnels for access. Fire ants are small, only about 1/8- to 1/4-inch long and can be found in varying sizes — while many other ant species are uniform in size.

The Texas AgriLife Extension recommends the "Texas Two-Step" method of control, which means using baits and mound treatments. Baits are starchy food sources laced with pesticide, while mound treatments are just the chemical.

Baits should be broadcast over the entire affected area, being sure to follow the label directions.

They need to be spread lightly; if applied too heavily they will not be effective.

Mound treatments should be applied directly to visible mounds. Timing is important and treatments should be applied when the ants are actively foraging — not when it's too hot or dry.

Products containing spinosad, methoprene, abamectin and hydramethylnon all are good options.

Unfortunately, home remedies such as club soda, cinnamon and coffee grounds have not been successful in research trials.

Check out fireant.tamu.edu for more information on identification and control.

Gardening program

The Concho Valley Master Gardeners invite you to join them for an educational program called "Container Gardening in the Concho Valley."

The program is free and open to the public and will be at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Tom Green County 4-H Center, 3168 U.S. 67 N.